Cairns Tropical Writers Festival presents Writing, reading and music

Cairns Tropical Writers Festival presents an afternoon of music and reading.

Join us for Afternoon Tea whilst enjoying the singing talent of iconic ARIA award winner Seaman Dan, who is celebrating his birthday and the release of his book "Steady Steady".

Seaman Dan was born on Thursday Island in the Torres Strait region of far-north Queensland, Australia in 1929. His great grandfather was a sailor from Jamaica in the West Indies and his great grandmother a chief's daughter from New Caledonia. Another grandfather came from the island of Niue in Polynesia. In the late 1940s and 1950s, Seaman Dan worked as a boat captain and pearl diver - gathering pearl and trochus shells across the north of Australia. He also did jobs such as mineral prospecting and taxi driving.

Sharing the limelight is local author Catherine Titasey who will read from her novel "My Island Homicide" Catherine was named Best Emerging Writer at the inaugural Queensland Literary Awards 2012.

Catherine was born in Sydney, raised in Papua New Guinea and travelled widely with her family and as a young adult. She studied law at the University of Queensland and then worked as a solicitor before taking an extended overseas adventure that ended on Thursday Island, a multicultural community in the Torres Strait. There she fell in love with a local fisherman and they now have six children.

The Writing, reading and music event takes place in the Trinity Esplanade Room,(overlooking the esplanade, palm trees and the sparkling waters of Trinity Inlet) Rydges Tradewinds 137,Esplanade, Cairns. Music, readings and book signings will begin at 3.00pm with the event finishing at 5.00pm.

Imagine whiling away two hours in this idyllic tropical setting listening to music and readings, meeting old friends and getting to know new friends. Put this in your diary, buy a ticket and join in the fun.